Happy Tail: A talkative Siamese mix fills a void

byJoan, staff writer

When the Daecher’s 16-year-old half-Siamese cat passed away, the couple knew they wanted to adopt another “precious ball of fur.” They had loved Ritzie so much they wanted to find a similar cat, but they weren’t quite sure whether they could get so lucky. Maybe a cat like Ritzie was a once-in-a-lifetime deal.

They planned to get another light-colored cat like Ritzie, a talker, not a kitten, and definitely not a black cat, but that latter idea flew out the window when they saw Duchess, a cat listed on Petfinder by York County SPCA — a gorgeous black cat, who appeared to be half Siamese.

They made arrangements to meet her, and the next thing they knew, they were bringing Duchess home. They re-named her Fergie, and she learned her new name within a week. It didn’t take that long for her to make it clear that she liked her new digs and she was pleased to be there. It was apparent the moment she arrived.

“Both my husband and I are very much in love with her, and why wouldn’t we be?” Christine Daecher asks. “She is extremely playful and plays fetch, usually about 10 times, before she decides she is done.”

In line with what they wanted, Fergie has proven to be very vocal “with a full Siamese range, and our house is again filled with meows, coos, howls, and purring … Of course, we are still working on ‘down’ and ‘no’ but a cat will be a cat and choose when she wants to listen.”

A Siamese may have a reputation for being aloof, but Fergie is anything but standoffish. She likes to cuddle and gives “cold, wet nose kisses and burrows under the covers.” All in all, it has been a great adoption — a happy tale prompted by a sad event.